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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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How to stay safe while enjoying the water

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Although summer is winding down — being safe around water is a year-round pursuit.

Practical tips to help avoid danger, in or near water, can make a difference for both experienced and non-experienced swimmers.

In fact, infants are being encouraged to get acquainted with swimming before learning to walk.

“The earlier you start, the better,” said Maggie Mueller, site manager at the Seal Swim School in Lutz. “Just being in swim lessons can help prevent drownings from happening.”

At the Seal Swim School, even infants can learn proper breathing control while in the water. (Brian Fernandes)

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the No. 1 cause for unintentional, injury-led deaths among children between ages 1 and 4.

For ages 5 to 9, it is the second-leading cause for unintentional, injury-led deaths.

To help reduce these cases, organizations like the Seal Swim School have implemented classes for infants to adults.

With several branches spread throughout Tampa Bay, the school’s Water Babies course allows little ones to get familiar within a pool setting.

At 6 months old, they can transition into a new class that helps them learn proper breathing control in water. This entails gradually raising infants up overhead, then briefly dipping them underwater.

“Once they have their breath control down, then it comes to learning their balance and buoyancy,” Mueller explained. “Once you get all three of those together, they’re able to swim a little bit on their own.”

Babies have the capacity to learn these swimming techniques within a matter of weeks, she said.

How to keep safe
One common misconception is that skilled swimmers are fine if left alone in the water. However, they, too, should have someone else present.

Parents are more likely to leave their child unattended if they have swimming experience, according to Safe Kids Worldwide.

The organization reported that nearly half of those from ages 10 to 17, who drowned between 2005 and 2014, were reportedly trained swimmers.

As long as the swimmer is within a clear field of vision, the observer can be inside or out of the pool.

Mueller also suggests not using floatation devices when training a child in a home pool. This may give the child a false sense of security.

She noted that, “if they’re used to wearing a life jacket or puddle jumpers, they don’t know the difference – whether that’s on or not. If they get access to the pool, they’re going to run, jump in and think they can [float].”

Another false notion is that if a child is struggling in the water, they will always scream or splash, making a scene. However, many sink to the bottom without notice.

In some cases, the descent may be so quick, that the child may not have time to react.

This is why vigilance in the water is always a good idea.

What to do during an incident
Aside from precautions, there are methods that can be used during an incident.

At Seal Swim School, kids are taught to “get the wall” if they accidently fall in the water.

With this, children are drilled to immediately turn around and clutch the edge of the wall they fell from.

If they cannot grasp the edge or need time to breath, they are shown how to roll onto their backs and float facing upward.

Alex Delgado is the Aquatic and Programs director at the YMCA in Zephyrhills.

There, he and his staff also provide helpful techniques, such as Jump-Push-Turn-Grab.

“If you fall in, you push off the bottom, it gets you back to the top, then you grab the edge and climb out,” he explained.

YMCA students practice this drill by diving into the water and going through the steps, in cycles, to become more accustomed.

In a situation where a victim feels helpless, the reaction may be to fight the water, said Mueller. However, she suggests that the best thing to do is “relax, take a deep breath, roll on your back and float.”

By doing this, the individual will maintain buoyancy while preventing water from filling the lungs.

Because these techniques do not come instinctively, Mueller and Delgado stress the importance of taking swimming classes to sharpen those skills.

When tending to a victim in the water, one should still be tactful in the approach.

If a child should go missing, the search should first begin at any large body of water, whether a pool or a nearby lake, because time is crucial. Any objects obstructing a clear view should be moved out the way in order to scan the bottom of the water.

Instructors also tell students to “reach or throw, don’t go.”

This encourages throwing a floatation device, or extending a long object to a struggling victim.

They suggest the rescuer lay on his or her stomach while using an object, like a pole or foam pool noodle, to draw the victim to the edge.

“You never want to jump in and try to save somebody unless you’re a 100 percent sure they cannot overpower you,” Mueller advised.

The rescuer should be at an advantage, such as an adult tending to a small child.

Even if CPR has been performed successfully, call 9-1-1 just to be on the safe side.

Even when someone remains conscious after a near-drowning incident, it is still important to seek medical attention.

Early warning signs to watch for include:

  • Someone positioned vertically instead of horizontally while underwater
  • Age: The very young or elderly may need more vigilance
  • A swimmer not removing hair from his or her face, could signal they’re having trouble staying afloat
  • Someone struggling to cling to nearby objects

It’s always a convenient time to learn how to swim, and the measures in reducing danger.

To find a local Seal Swim School branch, visit SealSwimSchool.com.

To find a nearby YMCA class, visit TampaYMCA.org.

Stay safe while enjoying the water.

Follow these precautions:

  • Never swim alone; always have at least one other person present.
  • Avoid jumping into water known to be shallow.
  • Require kids to ask adults’ permission before going into water, to be sure that someone always knows where they are.
  • Avoid going into water if you are tired or drowsy.
  • Keep track of large groups in pool by doing a head count.
  • Avoid rough play or bearing weight on another in water.
  • Become trained and certified in CPR.
  • Avoid eating or chewing gum while in water.
  • Keep home pool fenced off from small kids.

Warning signs a swimmer might be in trouble:

  • Someone positioned vertically instead of horizontally while underwater
  • A swimmer not removing hair from his or her face, could signal they’re having trouble staying afloat
  • Someone struggling to cling to nearby objects

Note: Very young and elderly swimmers may need more vigilant supervision.

Source: Seal Swim School and Zephyrhills YMCA

Published August 14, 2019

Pasco Sheriff’s employee earns statewide honor

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A longtime Pasco Sheriff’s Office civilian supervisor has earned a statewide honor from the Florida Sheriffs Association (FSA).

Gina Youmans has dedicated her career to helping crime victims and their loved ones, as a supervisor of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office Victim Advocates Unit.

The 28-year veteran of the law enforcement agency is being recognized for her work.

Youmans is the recipient of the inaugural FSA Civilian of the Year award. This award, sponsored by the Florida Sheriffs Risk Management Fund, “recognizes exemplary service above self by a civilian employed at a Florida sheriff’s office.”

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco, left, congratulates Pasco Sheriff’s Office Victim Advocates Unit supervisor Gina Youmans, right, for being the recipient of the inaugural Florida Sheriffs Association Civilian of the Year award. This award ‘recognizes exemplary service above self by a civilian employed at a Florida sheriff’s office.’ (Courtesy of Pasco Sheriff’s Office)

Youmans was officially named the 2019 Civilian of the Year at the FSA Summer Conference banquet in Tampa; she was nominated for the award by the sheriff’s office command staff.

Youmans said winning the award was “humbling,” adding it was also nice to see the agency’s victim advocates unit recognized as a whole.

“I’m just proud of the agency. It’s a big deal,” Youmans said.

“I can’t be happier. It’s a wonderful thing,” she said.

Youmans took a circuitous route into the criminal justice field and victim advocacy.

A native of Long Island, New York, Youmans followed her family to Florida shortly after graduating college.

She originally planned to work in banking or as a paralegal, but a friend told her the sheriff’s office was hiring civilian staff for the 1990 opening of the Land O’ Lakes jail.

“I was like, ‘All right,’ because I wasn’t able to find anything,” Youmans recalled.

Youmans was hired as a receptionist at the jail in 1991.

Within a year, Youmans was transferred to the agency’s fugitive warrants unit, where she worked for the next dozen or so years, handling the paperwork and logistics for extraditions, processing inmates and so on. “It was actually really cool,” Youmans said.

In 2005, Youmans transferred to the agency’s victim advocates unit at the behest of a co-worker, who put a request in for her for an open advocate position. Youmans worked her way up to unit supervisor in 2015.

Youmans admits she wasn’t really familiar with the unit beforehand. “I was like, I don’t even know what that is,” Youmans said of victim advocacy. “I read the description and was like, ‘Oh, that sounds interesting.’”

Helping people at difficult times
Youmans later learned she beat out 100 other applicants for the role.

To this day, she still recalls one question during the hour-and-a-half interview for the job that stuck out: “Could you hold a dead baby?”

It’s those types of difficult circumstances victim advocates must navigate regularly, Youmans said.

The victim advocates unit assists in major cases — homicide, suicide, sexual assault, domestic violence, robbery, burglary, and crimes against elderly, among others.

They’re on-call 24/7.

Generally, advocates offer victims information, emotional support, and help finding resources and filling out paperwork. Sometimes, advocates go to court with victims and speak on their behalf.

Pasco Sheriff’s Office Victim Advocates Unit supervisor Gina Youmans, right, and Pasco Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Sgt. Michael Rosa speak to a child as part of a crime investigation. Youmans is the recipient of the inaugural Florida Sheriffs Association Civilian of the Year award for her work in victim advocacy. She is a 28-year veteran of the law enforcement agency.

So, say there’s a homicide in the middle of the night, the unit responds “to be there” as liaisons for the decedent’s survivors, Youmans said.

“We form a rapport and help them, and let them know that if they need us — to reach out and we’re here,” Youmans said.

Advocates guide victims through the investigation process, too.

Youmans explained: “We’re there to explain why forensics is there, why the detectives are there, why the medical examiners are there, shield them from the media, but explain to them why the media is there, explain the entire process that is going on and accessing their needs the whole, entire time.”

Youmans said the toughest part of the job is death notifications — the delivery of the news of a death to another person, usually a family member or spouse.

Of the thousands of cases the unit responds to each year, suicides are the most common call out for the unit, Youmans said.

Youmans put it this way: “Like you see on television, you ring the doorbell, knock on the door, and you know as soon as they open the door, they’re going to know. People know when they open the door and they see a uniformed person and another sheriff’s office member there,” Youmans said.

“Anytime you deal with citizens and victims, they will guide you in the direction of where you go. There’s no certain way to deliver the message on death notifications or anything else, they guide you in the direction of where you go next,” she said.

Youmans supervises a six-member unit, which includes five other advocates and a victim services technician. She also oversees two unit volunteers and interns throughout the year.

Youmans said soft skills are a must for advocates, more so than formal education credentials.

“Approachability is so important. That’s what counts in the end,” she said.

She added, “It takes a unique person to do this position and I’ve always known that. A special kind of person has to do it, and I have six really special people that are truly passionate about it, and leaders in their own right, and hungry and want to learn.”

Through her own experience and early mistakes on the job, Youmans has a list of what she calls her ‘Do Not Says’ for her unit when they’re responding to victims and families of traumatic events.

They go like this:

  • Do not say, ‘Hi, how are you?’
  • Do not say, ‘I know how you feel.’
  • Do not say, ‘Time will heal.’
  • Do not say, ‘It’ll be OK.’

Instead, Youmans said, “It’s just reading situations and reading people. That comes from my experience of doing it. Some victims are good with the closure words. Some aren’t. It depends. Most aren’t. There’s no closure to them.”

The victim advocates unit supervisor acknowledged the job can be emotionally and physically taxing, at times.

But, a passion to help others keeps her going. That — and a Metallica heavy metal playlist has helped, too — she said, in jest.

“For myself, I’m just doing what I love,” she said. “I truly feel blessed to have been placed in this position.”

Her fellow advocates also keep morale up, when times get stressful.

“We are like family. I’m not trying to be cliché, but we’re truly there for each other. It’s an amazing thing to see,” Youmans said.

Published August 14, 2019

Baseball and softball school approved in Wesley Chapel

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A request to allow a private baseball and softball school in Wesley Chapel has gained approval from the Pasco County Commission.

In granting the request, commissioners overturned a decision made on Feb. 21 by the Pasco County Planning Commission.

Planning commissioners had denied the request , despite a recommendation for approval by county planners, who said the request was consistent with the county’s comprehensive plan, as conditioned.

Attorney Barbara Wilhite appealed the planning commission’s denial, on behalf of her clients, Ryan A. and Elizabeth J. Prior.

The approval allows the school to operate on 5 acres, on a property 320 feet south of the intersection of Hadlock Drive and Elkmont Lane.

The rules governing the appeal hearing, which was held Aug. 6, barred the introduction of new testimony, so Wilhite explained her clients’ request by outlining the conditions contained in the original request.

Among other things, those conditions included:

  • Limiting the number of students on the property on any given day, and at any given time
  • Limiting the hours of operation
  • Prohibiting outdoor speakers and public address systems
  • Keeping balls within the applicants’ property

The main issue during the planning commission hearing dealt with access to the site, Wilhite said.

One proposed condition dealt specifically with improving the road, but the attorney noted, “ultimately, the neighbors objected to anything being done with that road.”

Wilhite also pointed out that during the planning commission hearing, the county staff testified the road was accessible.

Wilhite characterized the planning commission’s action on the request as being confusing.

“It ended up being a 3-2 vote for denial. Interestingly enough, that swing vote was the person who recommended approval and moved approval,” she said.

The motion for approval “didn’t get a second,” she added, “and then that person ended up being the swing vote for denial.”

Wilhite also cited testimony by Denise Hernandez, of the county’s planning staff, who told planning commissioners that another baseball school had been approved on land with the same zoning category about 2 miles away.

“The record was very clear, and your staff was very clear that this was a compatible use,” Wilhite said.

Elizabeth Prior also spoke to commissioners.

“Obviously, myself and my husband are the applicants for this special exception.

“The neighbors that are objecting, we bought the house from them. They had full knowledge of what we wanted to do before we bought the house from them.

“My husband does private clients, it’s one on one, maximum of four at any one time.

“The staff at Pasco County approved the application, with conditions,” she said, adding that two staff experts testified that the road was sufficient.

She told county commissioners that Planning Commission Michael Cox’s motion for denial appeared to be based on “opinion” rather than the record.

Attorney Dave Smolker, of the law firm Smolker Bartlett in Tampa, represented the Dion family, who own property next-door, during the appeal.

“The Planning Commission got it right. This use is simply too intense for this particular location. Sometimes that’s the way it is. It’s a square peg in a round hole,” Smolker said.

He also attempted to introduce information that was not part of the record during the planning commission meeting, which was met by objections from Hernandez.

Smolker told commissioners there was no basis for overturning the planning commission’s decision.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Ron Oakley asked Hernandez to compare the conditions for the current request with the baseball school that was previously granted.

Hernandez said the conditions proposed for the Priors’ application were stricter.

Commissioners Kathryn Starkey and Mike Moore spoke in favor of overturning the planning commission’s denial.

“I’m kind of shocked that this was denied,” Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said.

Commissioner Mike Moore agreed. “I’m going to support overturning this,” he said. “I think this is ridiculous.”

Beyond overturning the planning commission’s decision, board members also called for reducing the restrictions on the baseball and softball school.

For instance, they increased the allowable hours of operation, and they removed a condition relating to road improvements.

Published August 14, 2019

Health and Wellness Fair focuses on the elderly

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A free community Health and Wellness Fair, held recently in Land O’ Lakes,  focused on services that are available to the elderly, as they face changes in mind and body.

The Aug. 1 event was hosted by Keystone Place at Terra Bella, 2200 Livingston Road, which offers residential options for independent living, assisted living and memory care.

Bryan D’Onofrio spoke at the event on behalf of the North Tampa Behavioral Health Hospital. The Wesley Chapel facility serves people who are suffering from issues such as depression, anxiety or substance abuse, by providing in-patient and out-patient services – including a geriatrics unit.

Local organizations in the Tampa Bay area gathered at a Health and Wellness Fair held at Keystone Place at Terra Bella to inform the public about various services available to help the elderly. (Brian Fernandes)

Many of the elderly patients who are admitted are dealing with depression,  D’Onofrio noted.

“As we get older, things don’t work like they used to,” he said. “As those things hit us, we can suffer some depression.”

At the behavioral health hospital, patients engage with a psychiatrist, therapist, social workers and licensed mental-health counselors, to receive the right treatment.

Patients also partake in group therapy to keep social, and recreational therapy, such as board games, yoga and other exercises. They are encouraged to continue activities when released home, to help them stay positive, D’Onofrio said.

Bayada Home Health Care and Bluestone Physician Services also participated in the event.

These companies offer mobile services — providing medical care to residents in assisted living facilities, such as Keystone Place at Terra Bella in Land O’ Lakes.

Tyler Patrick, marketing manager at Bayada, said that the goal of this type of care is to help prevent the need for hospitalizations.

Patrick added that, “If you’ve got a resident that has a disease that’s becoming exacerbated, the doctor may want an RN (registered nurse) checking in on that resident two, three times a week to monitor [and] make sure the medications are working. Our nurses can come in and do that.”

Assisted living facilities also provide a safe and secure environment for those known to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.

Amanda Wood, a program manager at the Alzheimer’s Association, shared information that help individuals, or their loved ones, identify the disease.

The Alzheimer’s Association, offers this list of 10 early warning signs:

  • Memory loss that disrupts daily life
  • Challenges in planning or solving problems
  • Difficulty completing familiar tasks
  • Confusion with time or place
  • Trouble understanding visual images
  • Difficulty with speaking or writing
  • Misplacing things and difficulty retracing steps
  • Decreased or poor judgement
  • Withdrawal from work or social activities
  • Changes in mood or personality

“One of the best things to do for noticing these signs, is to talk about it,” Wood said. “Go talk to your primary care physician.”

She emphasized the importance of initiating the conversation, whether it’s the individual exhibiting the signs, or a loved one witnessing them.

That person’s doctor can then refer them to a neurologist for further analysis.

An ongoing consistency in these signs may be a red flag that can differentiate them from usual memory loss, Wood said.

When a current or potential Alzheimer’s patient is living at home, it is also important to plan ahead for emergencies.

Teresa Haver, of the Alzheimer’s Family Organization, gave a demonstration on how the Wanderer’s Reunification Program is set up. This personalized kit can be useful in helping locate an Alzheimer’s patient gone missing.

Teresa Haver stood at the Alzheimer’s Family Organization booth and showed visitors one preparation technique – the Wanderer’s Reunification Program.

This is a free kit made up of sterilized equipment used in helping locate a missing patient.

“What you do is take the sterile pad and rub it on your loved one to get their scent, put it in the jar [and] seal it up,” Haver explained.

The jar is then placed on top of the refrigerator and is good for seven years.

Should the person go missing, the local sheriff’s department has already been trained to look for the jar on the fridge. Deputies then use blood hounds to search for the scent on the pad.

Haver also said the caregiver should familiarize themselves with the patient’s dominant hand, because they tend to wander in the direction of that hand.

She also recommended that a caregiver place an identification bracelet on the patient’s wrist and to have door locks that are higher than the patient’s reach.

Wood said there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s, but there are lifestyle choices that may help the brain age well.

Those include exercise, staying socially active, challenging the brain and a proper diet.

“Every time our heart beats, 25 percent of that blood goes to our brain,” Wood explained. “If we’re getting exercise, we’re getting more nutrient and oxygen-rich blood up to our brain.”

Exercise can include such things as walking up stairs and dancing, she noted.

Social activities, such as playing strategic games like chess, can help preoccupy and strengthen the mind, she said.

Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets are good alternatives, Wood noted.

These heart-healthy choices consist of nuts and grains, as well as foods high in protein and low in sodium.

The Rev. Virginia Walsh, of Unity North Tampa Church, also shared her knowledge at the health and wellness fair.

Proper nutrition can help lead to effective meditation practice, Walsh said.

Before doing a meditation session, participants should drink plenty of water.

They also should eat foods rich in protein, and stay clear of foods high in carbohydrates, processed sugar, flour and starches.

Walsh conducted a meditation class during the fair, offering participants tips they could apply at home.

“Meditation can help us think more clearly, be able to focus, and also has shown to often improve memory,” the reverend said. “Being mindful helps us to cope better with what happens in life.”

This in turn, produces more peace and may lead to a healthier brain, she said.

Published August 14, 2019

Frolicking in the Florida snow?

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Children, and adults alike, will have a new recreational option when a new winter park opens for business in Northeast Pasco.

The Pasco County Commission on Aug. 6 approved the addition of a snow park, which will be situated next to Tree Hoppers Aerial Adventure Park, on the north side of St. Joe Road, about 800 feet east of Bellamy Brothers Boulevard, in Dade City.

The conditional use, approved by the board, applies to a western parcel that makes up about 58.5 acres and an eastern parcel that makes up about 60 acres.

The western parcel, which consists of areas of dense vegetation and a mature tree canopy, will be used for the winter park. Under the conditions, it can operate up to 120 days a year

The eastern parcel, which is the Tree Hoppers site, consists of zipline and rope ridge obstacle courses, concession areas, and a gift and pro shop. It also is used for fall festivals and Halloween festivities, including Scream-A-Geddon. Those activities will be allowed for up to 56 days a year, according to the conditions.

Both attractions will operate between two days and seven days a week, and they will not be allowed to operate at the same time, the conditions say.

The Pasco County Planning Commission and the county’s planners recommended approval of the request. They also recommended approval for the sale of beer and wine for consumption at the sites, which the county commissioners also approved.

Attorney Clarke Hobby, representing the applicant, detailed plans for the winter park, which he said will have a snow hill, where people can go snow-tubing, an area where people can play in the snow, and other features.

The snow is made using new technology, and the snow will stay in place for long periods, provided the weather doesn’t exceed 80 degrees, according to Hobby.

“I will tell you, as a native Floridian, staying under 80 degrees doesn’t happen a lot and, even though we’re allowed 120 days to operate the snow hill here, something tells me that it’s probably going to be more like 45 days,” Hobby said.

“We think we can be good neighbors and not create what is going to be a traffic or noise issue for our neighbors,” Hobby added.

Access to the properties will be off St. Joe Road, Hobby said.

Thousands of trees will be planted, which will create an evergreen condition and provide a noise and visual buffer, for the neighbors, he added.

He cited a dozen letters in support of the project.

But, there were opponents, too.

Judy Geiger submitted a binder full of documents and expressed opposition to the request.

She also introduced Bob Hunter, a planning expert, who said he was there to speak at her request.

Hunter, former executive director of the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission and a former president of the American Planners Association, told commissioners that the request is inconsistent with the county’s comprehensive plan. He also said the use is inappropriate and should not be approved.

Stephen Gonzalez, who lives on St. Joe Road, put it like this: “It’s just in the wrong place. Why isn’t this on (U.S.) 301, up where there used to be a golf course, north of Dade City? That’d be a perfect spot for this business.”

Gonzalez also complained to commissioners about the trash left behind on his road from people attending Scream-A-Geddon.

Hobby said the location works well for his client because of the natural topography.

“We’re working with the hills; we’re not cutting them down, we’re going to augment them,” Hobby said.

Commission Chairman Ron Oakley told Hobby: “You worked very hard with that neighborhood. I appreciate everything you did.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano weighed in with words of support: “The Tree Hopper thing, I think was a great addition to the county. Scream-A-Geddon was tremendous. I think this will be a nice amenity, as well.”

Commissioner Mike Moore, who is chairman of the Pasco County Tourist Development Council, agreed: “I think this is going to bring a lot of great things.”

But, Moore also asked Hobby to ask his client to keep an eye on St. Joe Road, to address any problems with trash.

Published August 14, 2019

Getting up-close and personal with reptiles

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A love of dinosaurs at age 5 led Bruce Shwedick into a lifetime of work with reptiles.

The Plant City man, who operates Reptiles Discovery, recently brought his traveling reptile show to the Hugh Embry Branch Library in Dade City.

Bruce Shwedick, of Reptile Discovery, feeds a piece of banana to ‘Baby,’ a yellow-footed tortoise. The 35-year-old Baby was hatched at the Bronx Zoo. These tortoises are found in the Amazon rainforest and are among the largest of the land turtle species. (Christine Holtzman)

Shwedick’s show features  gentle, captive-born reptiles, which he presents in a safe, non-threatening manner to people at his shows.

He focuses on educating the audience, with the purpose of helping them understand these often misunderstood creatures. His talks emphasize the need for safety and for conservation.

Since Reptile Discovery was founded in 1994, Shwedick  has put on shows in more than 1,000 schools, in 45 states, and in Washington D.C.

Shwedick, a Maryland native, said he was just 10 when he followed in his older brother Michael’s footsteps in raising reptiles. Michael is also a reptile specialist, and is the founder of Reptile World Inc., in Maryland.

The brothers enjoyed visiting the National Zoo and the Smithsonian in Washington D.C..

Seven-year-old Samantha Cook, of Dade City, gets a chance to touch a blue-tongued skink lizard, held by handler Bruce Shwedick.

Shwedick said he still has fond memories of those experiences today.

The reptile handler began presenting educational shows in 1974.

He has traveled to Africa, South America and throughout Asia to learn more about these creatures, by speaking to people in those locales and observing reptiles in the wild.

The reputation he has developed because of his knowledge about reptiles has led to shows at theme parks and to the role of reptile curator at Cypress Parks. He even was featured on Nickelodeon’s “LIVEWIRE” many years ago.

Recently Shwedick — also known as Mr. Bruce — shared his knowledge and showed off his reptiles at the Hugh Embry Library, 14215 Fourth St., in Dade City.

Eight-year-old Lauren Cook, of Dade City, pets ‘Chopstick,’ a 25-year-old Chinese alligator. ‘Chopstick’ has been accompanying his handler, Bruce Shwedick, to presentations for more than 20 years.

He captivated the crowed with a mix of personal stories, reptile facts, safety tips and a presentation of live reptiles.

Children and adults in the audience had the chance to touch many of the reptiles he exhibited.

One of those was ‘Baby,’ a yellow-footed tortoise, who was gentle and graceful, and loved to eat bananas.

The reptile handler also brought “Chopstick,” a docile, Chinese alligator, that he’s been taking to shows for more than 20 years.

Another reptile he displayed was “Alexander the Great,” an alligator snapping turtle from the Okefenokee Swamp. His appearance was brief because the swift-moving turtle was not quite as friendly as the others.

Mr. Bruce also showed off a blue-tongued skink lizard, a corn snake, a West African slender-snouted crocodile, and at the show’s conclusion, a 14-foot-long albino reticulated python, named “Banana Boy.”

Published August 14, 2019

Rhiannon Spillane, of Wesley Chapel, and her 2-year-old son, Harrison Martin, touch ‘Banana Boy,’ a 14-foot-long albino reticulated python, as handler Bruce Shwedick cradles the snake’s head.
A close look inside the mouth of an alligator snapping turtle. This species has the ability to attract fish, using its worm-like tongue.
Bruce Shwedick, of Reptile Discovery, shows the audience a West African slender-snouted crocodile, named ‘MBecky’. Shwedick also raised MBecky’s parents.

 

Nikki Alvarez-Sowles named county clerk & comptroller

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Gov. Ron DeSantis has named Nikki Alvarez-Sowles to serve as the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller.

She will serve in that role through January 2021, filling out the balance of term for the post vacated by Paula S. O’ Neil, who retired on July 1.

Nikki Alvarez-Sowles

Alvarez-Sowles is the county’s eighth clerk & comptroller. She was named an interim successor by Sixth Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Anthony Rondolino, upon O’ Neil’s retirement. She received DeSantis’ appointment on Aug. 9.

“I am humbled and honored to have Governor DeSantis’ and Chief Judge Rondolino’s appointments,” said Alvarez-Sowles, in a news release from her office.

Alvarez-Sowles has served as the chief operations officer since 2010, guiding the adoption of numerous taxpayer-friendly initiatives, boosting efficiency, enhancing transparency and reducing costs, the release says.

Florida Sen. Wilton Simpson, whose district includes most of Pasco County, speaks highly of Alvarez-Sowles, in the release.

“Nikki’s commitment to serving the hardworking people of Pasco County shines brightest through her steady leadership and unwavering work ethic,” Simpson said. “On behalf of the people of Pasco County, I want to thank Gov. DeSantis for ensuring an honorable public servant takes the reigns here in Pasco.”

Born in Tampa, Alvarez-Sowles played soccer at the University of South Florida (where she was a member of the Scholar-Athlete 3.0 Club and a student government senator) before earning her law degree at Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan.

From 2000 to 2005, she practiced real estate law with the Tampa firm of Echevarria, Codilis & Stawiarski P.I., and spent a year as real estate development manager for the nonprofit Housing & Education Alliance Inc., before joining the Palm Beach Clerk & Comptroller’s Office as director of branch court services.

A chance meeting with O’ Neil and several members of her executive team during a statewide conference luncheon led to further discussion and, ultimately, Alvarez-Sowles joined the Pasco Clerk & Comptroller’s Office.

Examples of her involvement include:

  • Immediate past president, Leadership Pasco
  • West Pasco Bar Association, member and past president
  • Rotary Club of New Port Richey

She also has been a member of various committees and workgroups devoted to performance excellence in government work, such as:

  • Florida Clerks & Comptrollers’ Best Practices Workgroup
  • Supreme Court workgroups
  • Florida Bar Small Claims Rules Committee
  • Pasco-Hernando State College Technical Advisory Committee for Paralegal Studies
  • Pasco County Schools Success Plan Committee
  • Advisor to board of directors for Housing and Education Alliance Inc.

This year, Alvarez-Sowles served as a Florida Governor’s Sterling Examiner and joined Florida Center for Public Management, Certified Public Manager Program, based at Florida State University, as an adjunct instructor.

She is married to Kevin Sowles, and they have two children: daughter Lexi and son Soren. The family lives in Land O’ Lakes.

Published August 14, 2019

Send us your First Day of School photos

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This photo, submitted by George O’ Connor at the beginning of last school year, shows Julia O’ Connor on the first day of school, when she was a first-grader at Sand Pine Elementary School, in Wesley Chapel. (File)

Schools across The Laker/Lutz News coverage area are ringing in a new academic year — and along with that comes traditional First Day of School photos.

The photos that parents, grandparents, friends and other relatives take on that first day are a fun way to mark a new year of learning.

Plus, they’re like tiny time capsules, capturing a moment and recording changes in height, hair styles and fashion over time.

We’d love to share your First Day of School photos with our readers.

Please email your .jpegs, along with a brief description of where the photo was taken, who is in in it (from left to right) and the community where you live. Please also share the grade level and age of the student, and a number where you can be reached, if we have any questions.

Send in your photos by Aug. 16 to .

Published August 07, 2019

Under Construction 08/07/2019

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Edmonson Electric
Edmonson Electric Inc., is set to open an office warehouse at 5611 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. The two-story building will consist of two dozen offices, several breakrooms and an indoor gym. Construction on the 22,000-square-foot facility began in January and is scheduled to wrap up in August. The grand opening is expected in September.

Jammin Car Wash
Motorists will have a new facility to shine their ride with Jammin Car Wash in Lutz. The 5,500-square-foot center is at 21356 Walmart Way, just off of U.S. 41. The business, set to open in October, will offer a single drive-thru tunnel that will be able to hold multiple vehicles for washing.

Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel
Pinecrest Academy Inc., is opening a new public charter school in the Avalon Park West community. Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel, at 33427 State Road 54, will be a two-story school and is expected to open for the 2020-2021 school year. It is expected to focus on the arts, including fine arts and performing arts. For more information on the school, visit PinecrestWesleyChapel.com.

CubeSmart
A CubeSmart self-storage facility is being built at 16900 State Road 54 in Lutz. The 97,500-square-foot complex will hold approximately 600 storage units varying in size, along three floors, equipped with an elevator and air conditioning. It also will have a lot to accommodate recreational vehicles. Construction began in March. The facility is expected to open in January 2020.

Curious about something new that’s popping up in your community? Please send us the location — along with the address, if possible — and we’ll see what we can find out. Send your email to .

Published August 07, 2019

Creating a permanent place of honor

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If all goes according to organizers’ desires, Pasco County will join the state’s 66 other counties and will establish a permanent memorial for law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty.

Those behind the effort hope the memorial will be ready for use next year, during the Pasco County ceremony held annually to honor members of the law enforcement community who began their shift, like any other day, but never made it home.

This rendering depicts what the permanent memorial for fallen law enforcement officers is expected to look like. (Rendering courtesy of Ardurra, formerly known as King Engineering Associates Inc.)

Craig Laporte, a Port Richey attorney, is one of the key players working to establish the memorial.

The initiative was launched in 2014 by some members of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge in Land O’ Lakes, Laporte said.

They created the Pasco County Fallen Law Enforcement Officers Memorial & Benefit Foundation Inc., Laporte said. In addition to the goal of creating a memorial, the foundation also seeks to help families of fallen law enforcement officers, or officers severely injured on duty.

“Coincidentally, at about the same time, my wife Arndrea and I decided that we wanted to do something to thank the families of law enforcement officers for what they go through on a daily basis,” said Laporte, who was a Pasco deputy before getting his law degree.

He and his wife saw firsthand the unpredictable nature of the work, and the sacrifices made by officers and their families, Laporte said.

They decided to organize a Family Fun Day to give law enforcement personnel and their families a chance to gather together to have a good time. The day includes a meal, and fun activities for kids and adults.

Area businesses and organizations help to pay for the festivities.

The first year, the Family Fun Day drew about 250 people; this year, there were 750, representing 17 agencies, Laporte said.

Craig Laporte holds a rendering of what the sculpture will look like in the center of a new memorial planned to honor fallen law enforcement officers. (B.C. Manion)

After paying the expenses the first year, there was $5,000 left over that was donated to the memorial fund, Laporte said. This past year, $14,000 was donated, said Laporte, who also became involved with the memorial foundation’s board.

Originally, the FOP  wanted to have the memorial at their private lodge site in Land O’ Lakes, but they agreed to change the location to erect the memorial in a public setting.

The Pasco County Commission also approved a request to locate the memorial at the northwest corner of the grounds of the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City.

The historic courthouse is the same place where the annual Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial events have been held, according to accounts published in The Tampa Tribune and The Tampa Bay Times.

Those events have been solemn affairs, sometimes attended by hundreds of people, according to published reports. They’ve been marked with the pageantry of law enforcement — a riderless horse, two boots sitting backward in the stirrups, escorted across the courtyard; a bagpiper playing “Going Home;” a bugler playing “Taps;” and words of consolation, and appreciation, for lives cut short too soon.

Next year, organizers hope the event will be held at the permanent memorial.

The memorial was designed free of charge by Ardurra, formerly known as King Engineering Associates Inc., of Tampa, Laporte said.

Clark Lohmiller, Planning and Landscape Group Leader for Ardurra, has been involved in the design since Day 1. He decided to contribute his skills after being approached by Terry Edmonson, of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, who had an obvious passion for the project.

Lohmiller said Jason Marques of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office also has been involved, and that John Galbavy and Kevin Velinsky, also from Ardurra, have lent their expertise on the project.

The memorial’s design was influenced by one in Texas, which features a sculpture of an angel carrying a fallen officer up to heaven at the center of it, Lohmiller said.

Laporte said Brodin Studio in Minnesota is creating the sculpture for the Pasco memorial.

He also described what the public can expect to see.

“It’s going to be designed really spectacularly,” he said. “It’ll be a black stone base down on the ground. And, it’ll be narrower than this, but it will be a thin blue line of glass block that’s illuminated from underneath, so at night, it will be an illuminated thin blue line.

“Then, the statue also will be illuminated, with LED lighting, and the names of the fallen officers will be around the pedestal,” Laporte said.

“Hopefully, it will be well-received and something that showcases the support that Pasco County has — and the community wants to have — for the fallen officers, and just the officers in general. I’m honored to be a part of it,” Lohmiller said.

LaPorte said his law partner, Frances Werner-Watkins, has a personal interest in the memorial. She is related to Sheldon Nicks and William O’ Berry, two of the fallen officers honored each year.

Efforts continue to raise the money needed to complete the project, Laporte said.

So far, about $220,000 of the $300,000 needed has been raised. Anyone who would like to make a donation, or contribute in other ways, can reach out to Laporte at (800) 273-8303.

Killed in the line of duty

  • Pasco deputy Sheldon S. Nicks, May 8, 1909: Died after jumping in front of a bullet, shot by an escaped convict. The bullet was intended for Nicks’ father, Henry Robert Nicks, the Fivay town marshal.
  • U.S. prohibition agent John Van Waters, Oct. 4, 1922: Gunned down in an ambush by bootleggers
  • Constable Arthur Crenshaw, Oct. 4, 1922: Gunned down in an ambush by bootleggers
  • Pasco deputy William O’ Berry, Jan. 1, 1926: Shot in the neck in Hernando County while trying to arrest a suspect
  • Pasco deputy John McCabe, June 26, 1948: Died when a truck heading north on U.S. 41 struck his car head on
  • Florida Highway Patrol trooper James Crook, May 19, 1998: Shot and killed while attempting to stop a suspect who had killed a young boy and two Tampa police detectives
  • Pasco Lt. Charles Bo Harrison, June 1, 2003: Killed by a sniper while sitting in his patrol car, just weeks before his retirement. He was promoted posthumously to captain.
  • Hernando deputy John Mecklenburg, July 3, 2011: Lost control of his vehicle on U.S. 41 and crashed during a high-speed chase that led authorities through Hernando, Pasco and Pinellas counties.

Sources: Published reports in The Tampa Tribune and The Tampa Bay Times

Published August 07, 2019